`Our No. 1 responsibility is to educate'

Published: Tuesday, January 2, 2001 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, January 1, 2001 at 11:00 p.m.

THIBODAUX - The Nicholls State University athletics department begins the new year today with a new athletics director. Robert Bernardi, who spent the past 10 years as an assistant and associate commissioner for the Sun Belt Conference, takes over as NSU's sixth athletics director.

The Courier recently interviewed Bernardi, asking him questions about himself, his past and his intentions for the future of the Colonels athletics program.

When in your career did you realize that you wanted to become an athletics director?

A: "I think everyone has kind of a mentor, someone they model themselves after or aspire to be. I was fortunate when I was at the University of Arizona (as a recruiting and program coordinator). Cedric Dempsey, who is now the president of the NCAA, was the athletics director. And so I just admired him. I thought that he was somebody innovative and creative. He handled the staff and really made the program a lot better than what it was. So I think it was at that time that I kind of aspired to be not only an athletics director, but turn into the mold of Dr. Dempsey."

What things about Nicholls made it enticing for you to go there?

A: "First, the fact that they play football. I think that any athletics director or any individual looking at jobs really kind of looks at that first. It's an attractive feature in an athletics program. Second, I think there are a lot of good things about Nicholls. It's kind of a family-like atmosphere. I think it was that that probably persuaded me the most. It's just the people. In meeting some of the people on campus and some of the people in the athletics department, you'll find they're kind of a homogenous group. Most of them are from that area or most of them are alumnus from the school. To me, that meant a lot that these people care so much about the institution that they want to stay here. I thought that was really important and I liked that."

In what ways will you impact Nicholls State's athletics department?

A: "There are four areas that we really need to concentrate on. One, we really need to improve our graduation rates. I think that's really important. That's the reason people go to college ultimately. I think we're going to try to do some things aimed at that. Second, the participation. We need to get people not only at the games, but we need to get corporate people in the community involved in Nicholls State. That university is kind of a treasure for that area. We need to get people involved in that. Third, I think it's important that we address the needs of the student-athletes. We need to make their experience at Nicholls State the best that it can be. Again, not only getting the community involved I think it's really important that we start with the faculty and the students. I think we need to develop some real pride in the university. The pride is there. I think we just need to develop it a little bit."

Coach Daryl Daye has been working to improve the integrity of the football program by trying to bring in players who are better students. Is it safe to say that you follow in that same way of thinking?

A: "Wins and losses are obviously important, but so is the perception of the program and what people think is going on there. In 10 years, no one will remember what the won-loss record was, but I think everyone will remember the image of that university and the student-athletes that graduated from there. I think that's really important to me. Because ultimately that's our No. 1 responsibility is to educate our student-athletes. But it's all marketing. In 10 years from now, if I'm still the athletics director there, I would want to feel good about contacting some of our former student-athletes about giving back to the institution. If they didn't have a good experience, then they probably won't give and I would feel bad about asking.

In the past, people involved in the athletics department have suggested that one of the biggest problems regarding fan support is getting the Houma-Terrebonne Parish community more involved. Do you have an idea of how you might address that?

A: "A lot of it depends really on kind of what I do. I think the program takes on the personality of the athletics director. And so if I don't go into Houma and try to get people from that community to our games, well then I can understand why they would feel separated. But on the other hand, if I'm very active in that community, which I hope to be and try to get involved in their community, then I would suspect that they would feel that they would have some sort of ownership to the Nicholls program.

Instead of coming from being an assistant A.D. at a university, you've worked in a conference office. Do you feel that's an advantage since you've been able see what works and what doesn't at a number of schools?

A: "I think it's been a benefit. I think it's the best route an athletics director can take is having worked in a conference office. Sometimes you see people and their experiences are only from one or two institutions. My experience comes from working with 15 institutions. And so I've been taking a lot of mental notes over the years. I think I'm able to take some of what works at each institution and hopefully bring it to Nicholls State. There's a lot of ways to do things, and simply having experience at one university, or maybe two, kind of limits some of your perceptions of how it can be done."

The university's previous athletics director, Stan Williamson, reportedly was asked to resign after a little more than a year and a half at the school. Does that concern you any?

A: "I'm a different person than he was. I think I can learn perhaps from some of his mistakes. I'm just a different person with a different agenda and maybe someone who might fit in that community and be a little bit better than he might have."

<p>THIBODAUX - The Nicholls State University athletics department begins the new year today with a new athletics director. Robert Bernardi, who spent the past 10 years as an assistant and associate commissioner for the Sun Belt Conference, takes over as NSU's sixth athletics director.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>The Courier recently interviewed Bernardi, asking him questions about himself, his past and his intentions for the future of the Colonels athletics program.</p><p>When in your career did you realize that you wanted to become an athletics director?</p><p>A: "I think everyone has kind of a mentor, someone they model themselves after or aspire to be. I was fortunate when I was at the University of Arizona (as a recruiting and program coordinator). Cedric Dempsey, who is now the president of the NCAA, was the athletics director. And so I just admired him. I thought that he was somebody innovative and creative. He handled the staff and really made the program a lot better than what it was. So I think it was at that time that I kind of aspired to be not only an athletics director, but turn into the mold of Dr. Dempsey."</p><p>What things about Nicholls made it enticing for you to go there?</p><p>A: "First, the fact that they play football. I think that any athletics director or any individual looking at jobs really kind of looks at that first. It's an attractive feature in an athletics program. Second, I think there are a lot of good things about Nicholls. It's kind of a family-like atmosphere. I think it was that that probably persuaded me the most. It's just the people. In meeting some of the people on campus and some of the people in the athletics department, you'll find they're kind of a homogenous group. Most of them are from that area or most of them are alumnus from the school. To me, that meant a lot that these people care so much about the institution that they want to stay here. I thought that was really important and I liked that."</p><p>In what ways will you impact Nicholls State's athletics department?</p><p>A: "There are four areas that we really need to concentrate on. One, we really need to improve our graduation rates. I think that's really important. That's the reason people go to college ultimately. I think we're going to try to do some things aimed at that. Second, the participation. We need to get people not only at the games, but we need to get corporate people in the community involved in Nicholls State. That university is kind of a treasure for that area. We need to get people involved in that. Third, I think it's important that we address the needs of the student-athletes. We need to make their experience at Nicholls State the best that it can be. Again, not only getting the community involved I think it's really important that we start with the faculty and the students. I think we need to develop some real pride in the university. The pride is there. I think we just need to develop it a little bit."</p><p>Coach Daryl Daye has been working to improve the integrity of the football program by trying to bring in players who are better students. Is it safe to say that you follow in that same way of thinking?</p><p>A: "Wins and losses are obviously important, but so is the perception of the program and what people think is going on there. In 10 years, no one will remember what the won-loss record was, but I think everyone will remember the image of that university and the student-athletes that graduated from there. I think that's really important to me. Because ultimately that's our No. 1 responsibility is to educate our student-athletes. But it's all marketing. In 10 years from now, if I'm still the athletics director there, I would want to feel good about contacting some of our former student-athletes about giving back to the institution. If they didn't have a good experience, then they probably won't give and I would feel bad about asking.</p><p>In the past, people involved in the athletics department have suggested that one of the biggest problems regarding fan support is getting the Houma-Terrebonne Parish community more involved. Do you have an idea of how you might address that?</p><p>A: "A lot of it depends really on kind of what I do. I think the program takes on the personality of the athletics director. And so if I don't go into Houma and try to get people from that community to our games, well then I can understand why they would feel separated. But on the other hand, if I'm very active in that community, which I hope to be and try to get involved in their community, then I would suspect that they would feel that they would have some sort of ownership to the Nicholls program.</p><p>Instead of coming from being an assistant A.D. at a university, you've worked in a conference office. Do you feel that's an advantage since you've been able see what works and what doesn't at a number of schools?</p><p>A: "I think it's been a benefit. I think it's the best route an athletics director can take is having worked in a conference office. Sometimes you see people and their experiences are only from one or two institutions. My experience comes from working with 15 institutions. And so I've been taking a lot of mental notes over the years. I think I'm able to take some of what works at each institution and hopefully bring it to Nicholls State. There's a lot of ways to do things, and simply having experience at one university, or maybe two, kind of limits some of your perceptions of how it can be done."</p><p>The university's previous athletics director, Stan Williamson, reportedly was asked to resign after a little more than a year and a half at the school. Does that concern you any?</p><p>A: "I'm a different person than he was. I think I can learn perhaps from some of his mistakes. I'm just a different person with a different agenda and maybe someone who might fit in that community and be a little bit better than he might have."</p>